Study Finds Noise Pollution Highest in Black Neighborhoods

A new study led by researchers at the University of California found that noise pollution is most prevalent in African-American neighborhoods of America’s most segregated cities. Previous studies have indicated that noise pollution is linked to health problems such as high blood pressure and sleep deprivation.

“This is yet another study that shows that communities of color bear a disproportionate burden of pollution,” said Rachel Morello-Frosch, a co-author of the study and a professor in the School of Public health at the University of California, Berkeley. “But I think that the innovative piece about this work is that we also show that social inequality, or segregation, makes things worse for everybody.”

The researchers found a strong correlation between noise and race. The study found that neighborhoods with at least 75 percent black residents had median night-time noise levels four decibels higher than in neighborhoods without any black residents. Traffic noise was the biggest source of noise pollution.